Clutch.



" No. 861,816. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

J. c. mwson.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30. 1906.

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/wasjei: I J [536721 02 uj 772196 a JAMES C. DAWSON, OF ST. LOUIS,MISSOURI.

CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

. Application filed April30.1906. s eam. 314,431

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, James C. Dawson, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the follow--ing is a. specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relate s to a double-acting clutch block adapted to runupon a rod and normally gripping the rod so as to be immovable in eitherdirection.

The invention comprises a chambered block or box within which'is houseda pair of clutch members,

which respectively grip the bar under the influence of pressure appliedin opposite directions; and more specifically it consists in the devicehereinafter described and which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which i Figure 1 represents a longitudinal central sectionof the clutch block as applied to the post of a file binder; Fig. 2 is aperspective of the block as applied to a rod;

Fig: 3 is a view similar to Fig, 1, showing a modified theclutch being.applied for the purpose of binding a block of leaves 12 to the baseplate. The rod 11, it will be understood, represents any rod or pair ofrods in 'alinement upon which it may be desired to utilize theclutch-block. The clutch block comprises a' box or chambered block 13,having a cover 14 permanently secured by compressing the upperedge'oithe side wall of the box into an annular channel in the peripheryof the cover. Two clutch members 15, 1.6, are used, and take the form ofplates apertured in line with the axial apertures in the top and bottomof the blocktlirough which the rod 11 is inserted. At one side of theaperture of the plates a biting edge is formed, as shown'at 17,- 18 forengaging the post. The inner ends of the plates 15, 16, abut against theside wall of the block 13, the one in proximity to the cover and theother to the bottom of the box. The opposite ends of the plates extendthrough apertures in the side wall of the block somewhat removed fromthe cover and bottom, and

hence theplates are inclined to the axis "of the box.

Inthe construction illustrated in Fig. 1 the inner ends of the platesare at the same side of the box and hence their outer ends are inclinedtowards each other, and their gripping edges areupon the same side ofthe post. A spring 19', shown inthis figure as helical in form,reacts-between the two plates and normally holds them both in grippingcontact with the rod. Pressure upon the block in either direction inline with the post will tend to bring one of the plates perpendicular tothe post, and hence cause it to grip thelatter firmly, and as the lengthof that portion of the plate lying between its gripping edge and itsinner end is greater than the distance from the surface of the post tothe side of the box, this action positively holds the block againstmovement. The block may be freely moved in either direction by pressingthe outer ends of the clutch plates toward each other, or it may bemoved in one direction by first pressing the plate adjacent its oppositeend against the resistance pithespripg.

. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3, the blo'clZ 20 is of thesame general form of construction as the block 13, but may be of lesslength. The clutch plates 21, 22, are of the same form as the plates 15,16, but are differently disposed within the chamber of the block, inthat their ends are in reverse relation, their inner ends being atopposite sides of the chamber, as are also their outer ends, the twoplates lying normally in parallel planes. The spring reacting betweenthe two plates to hold them in engagement with the rod may be of anydesired form, but, as shown at 23, is approximately fiat and has oneend, 24, hooked into a suitable aperture in one of the plates, as 22,its opposite end lying against the face of the other clutch member, as21.-

Whenthis form of spring is used it is apertured in) 'fit loosely aroundthe rod 11.

The form of construction illustrated in Fig. 3 is of advantage over thatshown in Fig. 1 in that it is less bulky, though itisnot-socerwenientntmanipul ti n e a u \7 1 v or the purpose of sliding it either way upontneron.

For use in connection with a file binder thisform is convenient, as inpressing it down it would require only that the upper clutch plate bedisengaged, while in releasing it only the lower plate would requireat-v tention.

Either of the two forms of clutch block illustrated will serve to bindtogether a pair of rods having their ends abutting, the block beingbrought to such a position that one of its clutch members will engageeach of the rods.

I claim as my invention- A clutch-block comprising, in combination, achambered box having a rod-recelvingaperture therethrough, a pair ofclutch plates adapted to react-between the side walls of the box and therod to which the block may be applied, and

a spring reacting between the plates to advanee them to theengagedposition.

' JAMES C. DAWSON.

Witnesses:

Boer. H. Conn, Jn, F. W. Bissau.

